Belfast Agreement

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they still accept paragraph 13 of strand two of the Belfast Agreement (Cm 4705) which states that the North/South Ministerial Council and the Northern Ireland Assembly are mutually interdependent.

Baroness Amos: Yes.

Belfast Agreement

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made on a charter of rights, proposed in paragraph 10 of the rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity section of the Belfast Agreement.

Baroness Amos: The joint committee of the Northern Ireland and Irish Human Rights Commissions issued an initial pre-consultation draft of a proposed charter of rights for the island of Ireland to a limited number of interested parties in May 2003. The pre-consultation period was extended to December 2003. The joint committee has been considering the implications of this pre-consultation for any more formal consultation exercise that may take place at a later stage.

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the annual budget of the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01.

Baroness Amos: The annual EONI budget for the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 1995–96 1.2 
			 1996–97 3.4 
			 1997–98 1.2 
			 1998–99 4.9 
			 1999–2000 1.2 
			 2000–01 1.4 
		
	
	Expenditure in 1996–97 includes £2.1 million spent in respect of the Northern Ireland elections held in May 1996. Expenditure in 1998–99 includes £3.6 million spent in respect of the Northern Ireland referendum on the Good Friday agreement held in May 1998 and the Northern Ireland Assembly elections held in June 1998. Figures for the 1997 Westminster election and 1999 European elections are not included as they are funded by HM Treasury.

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many full-time members of staff were employed within the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01.

Baroness Amos: The number of full-time EONI staff for the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 1995–96 25 
			 1996–97 23 
			 1997–98 21 
			 1998–99 21 
			 1999–00 21 
			 2000–01 25

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much investment they have made in new equipment and other capital expenditure to improve the efficiency of the electoral process in Northern Ireland in each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01.

Baroness Amos: Investment in new equipment for the EONI and other capital investment in the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:
	
		
			  £'000 
			 1995–96 15.7 
			 1996–97 118.0 
			 1997–98 21.8 
			 1998–99 21.0 
			 1999–00 18.9 
			 2000–01 83.4

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the annual budget of the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04.

Baroness Amos: The annual EONI budget for the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2001–02 2.5 
			 2002–03 5.5 
			 2003–04 7.6 
		
	
	Expenditure in 2002–03 and 2003–04 includes that spent on the development, production and distribution of the new electoral identity card. Expenditure in 2003–04 includes a projected spend of £3 million in respect of the Northern Ireland Assembly election in November 2003 and adjustments arising from new resource accounting procedures.

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many full-time members of staff were employed within the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04.

Baroness Amos: The number of full-time EONI staff for the year 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2001–02 29 
			 2002–03 38 
			 2003–04 45 
		
	
	This increase in posts reflects partly an equivalent reduction in the use of part-time casual staff, plus additional staff to implement the Representation of the People Act 2000 and the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much investment they have made in new equipment or other capital expenditure to improve the efficiency of the electoral process in Northern Ireland in each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04.

Baroness Amos: Investment in new equipment for the EONI and other capital investment in the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:
	
		
			 Year 
			 2001–02 £70,000 
			 2002–03 £1.52 million 
			 2003–04 £154,000 
		
	
	The large capital expenditure in 2002–03 was due to the purchase of a new computer system to implement the Representation of the People Act 2000 and the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.

Northern Ireland Electoral Office

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many new posts have been created in the Northern Ireland Electoral Office since April 2001; at what level and grade; and what specific functions do they fulfil.

Baroness Amos: The new posts created in the EONI since April 2001 are as follows:
	One assistant chief electoral officer at grade 7 equivalent. 1
	One operations manager at deputy principal equivalent. 1
	One head of office services at staff officer equivalent. 1
	One human resources officer at executive officer grade equivalent. 1
	One IT support officer at executive officer grade equivalent. 1
	One information assistant at administrative officer equivalent. 2
	One IT assistant at administrative officer equivalent. 2
	Three administrative officers for general clerical duties across the nine area electoral offices. 2
	One administrative assistant for general clerical duties in headquarters. 2
	Twelve registration assistants across the nine area electoral offices. 3
	The increase in posts reflects a broadly equivalent reduction in the use of part-time casual staff, plus the recruitment of three specialists in the IT and HR disciplines.
	1 Offset against the surrender of three deputy electoral officer posts at deputy principal equivalent.
	2 Temporary posts for 18 months to two years.
	3 Nine of the 12 are temporary posts for 18 months.

Abu Hamza

Lord Janner of Braunstone: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Crown Prosecution Service has discussed with the Metropolitan Police the recent statements made by Abu Hamza with a view to his prosecution under the appropriate legislation.

Lord Goldsmith: The Metropolitan Police have not consulted the Crown Prosecution Service about the recent statements made by Abu Hamza with a view to his prosecution.

Sudan: Darfur

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What information they have about the response of the government of Sudan to the request by the acting High Commissioner for Human Rights for it to extend an open invitation to the fact-finding and investigate mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights to visit Sudan.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are not aware of any response by the Government of Sudan to the recent statement by the acting High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Darfur, western Sudan. We are pressing the government, and the other parties to the conflict, to declare a ceasefire preferably with international monitoring to permit humanitarian access to all those in need, and to resume talks to find a peaceful solution to Darfur's problems.

Guantanamo Bay: British Detainees

Baroness Ludford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the five British detainees in Guantanamo Bay, whose prospective release has been announced, will return to the United Kingdom.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the reasons for the continuing delay in the repatriation of those British detainees at Guantanamo whose repatriation has been agreed by the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The five British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay, whose prospective release was announced on 19 February, returned to the UK on 9 March.

Guantanamo Bay: British Detainees

Baroness Ludford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In view of the release of Danish and Spanish nationals from Guantanamo Bay, why they have not been able to secure the immediate release of the British detainees.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Five of the British detainees returned to the UK on 9 March. Discussions between the UK and US Governments about the other four British detainees continue. The Government's position remains that either they should have a fair trial in accordance with international standards or they should be returned to the UK.

British Overseas Territories

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of which British dependent territories the European Court of Human Rights has jurisdiction to receive complaints in individual cases.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The British Overseas Territories concerned are:
	Anguilla
	Bermuda
	Falkland Islands
	Gibraltar
	Montserrat
	St Helena and Dependencies
	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made about the veracity of reports of biological and chemical experimentation on human subjects in North Korea.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are appalled by the reports of testing of biological and chemical weapons on human subjects in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) summoned the DPRK Ambassador on 13 February and raised these allegations. EU partners and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights have also called upon the DPRK to allow access to the country by independent human rights monitors to establish the veracity of such reports.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the outcome of the recent meeting between the Government and the Ambassador of North Korea following the broadcast of a BBC programme detailing allegations of chemical weapons testing on civilians detained in prison camps.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) summoned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ambassador on 13 February to discuss the allegations made in the BBC "This World" documentary, "Access to Evil". The Minister called upon the Government of the DPRK to allow access to independent human rights monitors to establish the veracity of these and other disturbing reports of human rights violations, as called for in the resolution adopted by the 2003 UN Commission on Human Rights. The ambassador maintained that independent human rights monitoring visits were not possible in the current security climate. We will continue to urge the DPRK to address our concerns about its human rights record and to co-operate with the UN human rights machinery.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What work they are undertaking in advance of the 2004 meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to ensure increased support for the resolution of human rights violations in North Korea, passed in 2003; and whether the Government have lobbied the commission to appoint a special rapporteur to monitor human rights abuses within North Korea.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have failed to comply with the recommendations set out in the resolution, which was adopted by a substantial majority in 2003, and have yet to respond to calls for independent monitors to be allowed access to the country to verify the numerous reports of human rights violations. At the 2004 meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) we will work to ensure that the language of the second resolution on the DPRK attracts broader support by UNCHR members. During the past year we have not lobbied the commission to appoint a special rapporteur on the DPRK but this is an option we are prepared to consider.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the outcome of the six-party non-proliferation talks recently held in Beijing; whether human rights violations in North Korea have been raised during those talks; and what timetable has been established for the continuation and deepening of the process.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: At the second round of six-party talks which took place in Beijing in February participants agreed to establish a working group to continue discussions on the nuclear issue and to prepare for the next plenary meeting which will take place before the end of June 2004. Human rights issues were not raised at the talks. The remit and format of the working group has yet to be determined.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What initiatives have been launched to pursue the implementation of the resolution of the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on violations of human rights in North Korea.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We have raised the issue of the UN Commission on Human Rights resolution regularly with the authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on both ministerial and official levels, and have urged them to allow access to the DPRK by independent monitors. EU officials, visiting Pyongyang in December 2003, also raised the issues outlined in the resolution.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made for the release of all returnees, detainees and abducted citizens of Japan, the Republic of Korea and other nationals being held in North Korea; and what information they have on the plight of humanitarian aid workers, imprisoned in China and North Korea.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly express our deep concern about reports of cruel treatment of prisoners and returnees to the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). We have expressed full support for Japan's efforts to reach agreement with the DPRK Government on the abductee issue. We also raise the issue of the DPRK border crossers and humanitarian aid workers, including specific individual cases, with the Chinese Government on a regular basis. We discussed these most recently with the Chinese authorities at the EU-China human rights dialogue in February, and before that at the annual UK-China human rights dialogue in November last year.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will promote North Korea as a priority country for inclusion in the European Union Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Priorities for the EU Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) for 2004 have already been agreed. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is not on the list of focus countries. However, in future years the fund will drop focus countries in favour of a thematic approach. Civil society organisations working in the DPRK may then be able to seek EIDHR funding.

China: North Korean Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made, with regard to North Korean migrants and refugees to the Peoples' Republic of China, concerning its obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and the protocol of 1967, particularly in respect of providing North Koreans with a reasonable opportunity to petition for asylum and in respect of ways to evaluate asylum claims and to facilitate resettlement.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees with the Chinese, including at the biannual UK/China human rights dialogue. At the last round of the dialogue, on 10 to 11 November 2003, we urged China to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to border areas and to observe its obligations under the 1967 Additional Protocol to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
	We will continue to encourage greater co-operation between China and the UNHCR on this issue.
	In February 2004 the UK supported an EU demarche to the Chinese authorities concerning the detention of three Democratic People's Republic of Korea nationals in China.

China: North Korean Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ask the United Nations Secretary General and Security Council to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality of China's denial of access by North Korean refugees to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No. We believe that it is for the parties involved to determine the legality of China's actions.
	We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees with the Chinese, including at the biannual UK/China human rights dialogue. At the last round of the dialogue, in November 2003, we urged China to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to the border areas and to observe its obligations under the 1967 Additional Protocol to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
	We will continue to encourage greater co-operation between China and the UNHCR on this issue.

China: North Korean Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will promote a new United Nations resolution designating displaced North Koreans to China as a population of concern subject to protection by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are concerned by reports that China is not fully implementing its obligations under the UN convention on refugees, by forcibly returning North Koreans without proper consideration of their asylum claims. The UK supports requests by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for access to refugees to confirm that China is keeping to international obligations and regularly calls on China to co-operate with the UNHCR.
	The 1951 convention and its protocol of 1967, to which China has acceded, define refugees. The UNHCR determines which populations it considers are of concern. This assessment is carried out independently of resolutions by the UN General Assembly or other bodies. We would not wish to constrain the UNHCR's mandate by using UN resolutions to define populations of concern. However, we remain in close contact with the UNHCR about all aspects of its work.

Zimbabwe

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that the human rights situation worsened in Zimbabwe between 2002 and 2003, and, if so, why a higher proportion of applications for asylum and appeals to adjudicators against refusal of applications for asylum by Zimbabweans was rejected in 2003 than in 2002.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: According to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO forum, by some measures the human rights situation in Zimbabwe was worse in 2002 than in 2003, largely due to the presidential elections that year. By other measures (for example total number of assaults, unlawful arrests, restrictions on freedom of movement and press freedom), the situation was worse in 2003.
	Asylum issues are a matter for the Home Office. Each asylum case is dealt with on its own merits.lynne

Zimbabwe

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What reference material is accessed by officials dealing with asylum applications of citizens from Zimbabwe other than the six-monthly Home Office Country Information Policy Unit reports

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Where the necessary information is not available in the country report, information from a wide variety of published sources may be accessed by caseworkers, although they are expected to seek advice initially from senior caseworkers or the Country Information and Policy Unit (CIPU). In the case of Zimbabwe, such sources may include the Movement for Democratic Change's website, the monthly violence reports compiled by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, or the integrated regional information network (IRIN) news network of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Prisoners

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prisoners in England and Wales have requested transfer to (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many qualified in terms of length of sentence and other criteria; what is the average time taken to consider and approve a request; and how many prisoners were transferred in the past 12 months.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In 2003, 17 prisoners applied for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland. Of these, one application was refused, 12 applications met the normal repatriation criteria and have been referred to the Irish Government for consideration, and four applications remain under consideration by HM Prison Service.
	No application for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland submitted during this period has yet been approved. The average time taken by the British authorities from receipt of the application to referral to the Irish authorities was 119 days.
	Twenty prisoners who submitted applications prior to 2003 had their requests approved last year. Of these, six prisoners were repatriated and 14 prisoners are awaiting removal by the Irish authorities.
	In the same year, 25 prisoners applied for transfer to Northern Ireland. Of these, five applications were withdrawn, five were refused, and two prisoners were released before their applications could be determined, seven applications have been referred to the Northern Ireland authorities and five remain under consideration by HM Prison Service. One application was approved. This application took 74 days from submission of the application to approval of the request.
	One prisoner whose application was submitted prior to 2003 was transferred during this period, a further six prisoners have had their requests approved and are awaiting a place in a Northern Ireland prison.

Victims Advisory Panel

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions the Victims Advisory Panel has met since March 2003.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Victims Advisory Panel has met on five occasions, most recently on 3 February 2004. In additon, lay and co-opted members were invited to an awayday in York in October 2003. The next meeting of the panel will be in June 2004.

Victims Advisory Panel

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions since March 2003 the Victims Advisory Panel has reported directly to the Home Secretary; and whether its reports are printed or presented to Parliament by a government Minister.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary met lay members and representatives of victim organisations at the very first meeting of the panel in March 2003. The Home Secretary is represented at panel meetings by myself.
	As an advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) the Victims Advisory Panel is required to produce an annual report. The panel's first annual report will be published at the end of April 2004, and will give details of the issues it has discussed during its first full year of operation.

Chechnya: Asylum Applications

Lord Russell-Johnston: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many refugees of the Chechen wars have been offered political asylum to the latest convenient date.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is not possible to say how many people have been granted asylum in the UK who had previously become refugees of the conflict in Chechnya. Data on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals outcomes are collated by nationality only. Data on the ethnic origin of asylum seekers granted refugee status or their reasons for claiming asylum are not collated centrally and would be available only by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
	Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeal outcomes is published quarterly, including data on Russian nationals. The current publication covering the fourth quarter of 2003, and provisional 2003 data, is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Police Service: Staff Support Associations

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 4 February (WA 104), what is the total number of staff associations within the Police Service; and whether a multiplicity of such associations is conducive to harmony in the Police Service itself, and increases confidence in the service by the general public.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government do not determine the number of staff associations in the Police Service. The range of associations reflects the diverse work of the service and the diversity of its staff. We welcome this and are committed to ensuring that the views and interests of staff are effectively represented when decisions are taken about the service. We will continue to work with staff associations to enable the Police Service to reduce crime and build safer communities.

Computer Misuse Act 1990

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the light of the announcement at the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit's (NHTCU) second e-crime congress, what changes to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 they are contemplating to address the extent of Internet crime exposed by the NHTCU's recent survey; and
	When they will bring forward legislation to strengthen the Computer Misuse Act 1990, given that the Home Office has identified this as a priority.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have yet to see the full results from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit National Opinion Poll survey "The Impact on UK Business during the year 2003". We will however be considering whether there is any information within it which suggests that existing legislation is inadequate to deal with hi-tech crime.
	As has previously been announced, changes to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in order to implement the requirements of the framework decision on attacks against information systems and the related provisions contained in the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.

Speeding

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there have been prosecutions for speeding based on evidence from SPECS speed cameras; and, if so, how many.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information on prosecutions for speeding collected centrally in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland does not include the type of camera device used.

Criminal Offences

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 5 February (WA 114), whether they are satisfied that the police and other enforcement authorities have been able to monitor the 355 new criminal offences within the remit of the Home Office which have been created since 1997.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Yes. Whenever a new criminal offence is implemented following Home Office legislation the standard procedure is for the relevant unit to ensure that those responsible for the appropriate enforcement action are suitably informed.

Police Vehicles: Road Accidents

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each police force in England and Wales, how many people have been killed or seriously injured in road accidents involving police vehicles, during the most recent period for which figures are available.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The numbers of police and civilian fatalities and serious injuries arising from police responses to immediate/emergency calls and pursuits over the past five years are shown in the tables. Notes for tables: (i) The information is provided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, to whom forces submit statistical returns. (ii) All figures are for financial years (iii) Details of the number of fatalities and injuries involving police vehicles engaged in activities other than immediate/emergency response or pursuit are not centrally available. (iv) "Blank" spaces indicate data not yet submitted by force.
	
		Police Fatal Road Traffic Accidents Immediate/Pursuit
		
			 Forces 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 1 0 0 0 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0  0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0  
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0  
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 South Wales 0 0 1 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sussex  0 0  0 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0  
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		Civilian Fatal Police Vehicle Accidents Immediate/Pursuit
		
			 Forces 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 1 0 2 
			 Bedfordshire 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0  0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Durham 1 0 0 1  
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Essex 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Greater Manchester 2 1 6 5 4 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 2 0 0 0  
			 Lincolnshire 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 1 3 
			 Metropolitan Police 1 1 6 2 4 
			 Norfolk 0 3 1 0 1 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 1 0 2 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0  
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 2 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 1 0 
			 South Yorkshire 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 1 1 1 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sussex  0 0  0 
			 Thames Valley 0 2 0 1 3 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 1 1 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 1  
			 West Yorkshire 1 0  0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		Police Serious Injury
		
			 Forces 1998–99 1999-2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 6 4 5 1 
			 Bedfordshire 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 2 0 1 2 
			 Cheshire 4 2 0 0 0 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 0 1 0  0 
			 Cumbria 3 0 1 2 0 
			 Derbyshire 2 2 1 1 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 1 0 3 0 1 
			 Durham 0 1 2 2  
			 Dyfed Powys 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 3 3 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Greater Manchester 1 0 0 1 1 
			 Gwent 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Hampshire 0 1 0 2 5 
			 Hertfordshire 3 0 1 1 2 
			 Humberside 0 0 5 1 0 
			 Kent 0 2 0 1 1 
			 Lancashire 0 1 0 2 1 
			 Leicestershire 0 3 2 0 2 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 1 1 2 
			 Merseyside 0 1 0 1 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 45 15 11 15 1 
			 Norfolk 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 1 1 2 0 0 
			 Northumbria 1 0 0 2 1 
			 North Wales 1 0 0 1 0 
			 North Yorkshire 1 0 2 0  
			 Nottinghamshire 2 0 0 1 3 
			 South Wales 3 0 0 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 2 2 15 2 1 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 1 1 1 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Sussex  1 1  5 
			 Thames Valley 1 0 3 0 2 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 2 0 
			 West Mercia 0 4 0 1 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 1  
			 West Yorkshire 29 0 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		Civilian Serious Injury
		
			 Forces 1998–99 1999-2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			 Avon and Somerset 2 1 5 16 6 
			 Bedfordshire 2 1 0 3 2 
			 Cambridgeshire 5 0 4 0 4 
			 Cheshire 0 2 3 2 2 
			 City of London 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Cleveland 0 3 0  0 
			 Cumbria 3 2 2 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 1 0 1 2 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 1 2 4 1 
			 Dorset 0 2 0 4 0 
			 Durham 0 3 1 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Essex 2 1 2 4 2 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Greater Manchester 1 2 5 5 4 
			 Gwent 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 1 1 5 1 2 
			 Hertfordshire 7 0 5 0 4 
			 Humberside 0 1 1 0 3 
			 Kent 4 0 1 1 1 
			 Lancashire 0 1 0 1 0 
			 Leicestershire 0   1 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 2 1 0 
			 Merseyside 2 0 2 2 3 
			 Metropolitan Police 25 24 29 36 13 
			 Norfolk 1 1 3 0 1 
			 Northamptonshire 3 1 2 0 1 
			 Northumbria 7 4 2 5 2 
			 North Wales 0 0 2 3 0 
			 North Yorkshire 6 1 1 2 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 2 3 2 2 
			 South Wales 0 1 4 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 3 2 1 9 2 
			 Staffordshire 3 1 1 0 0 
			 Suffolk 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Surrey 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Sussex  2 4  2 
			 Thames Valley 0 3 7 0 11 
			 Warwickshire 0 1 0 1 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 5 4 
			 West Midlands 1 1 2 1 0 
			 West Yorkshire 22 0  0 0 
			 Wiltshire 2 0 0 0 0

Internet Child Pornography

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking in conjunction with Internet service providers to limit access to child pornography; and
	What progress is being made in investigating and prosecuting Internet child pornography; how many persons have been (a) charged; and (b) convicted, as a result of the police Operation Ore; and how many more they expect will be prosecuted in the coming 12 months.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government continue to work, through the Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet, with law enforcement, industry and children's organisations on considering what action can be taken in respect of restricting access to child abuse images.
	The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) provides a focal point for reporting material which appears to be illegal. They assess the material and refer any they agree appears illegal to the police for investigation. Where an illegal image is on a website hosted by a UK Internet service provider and they are notified of this fact, they have an excellent record in removing the offending material. Less than 1 per cent of child abuse content reported to the IWF is hosted in the UK. Where the material is produced or hosted outside the UK, arrangements exist for notifying the relevant law enforcement agency and Internet service providers concerned.
	While the Internet has increased the transmission and exchange of images of child abuse, it has also provided a valuable opportunity to identify, prosecute, and treat a significant group of child abusers who might never otherwise have come to our attention. This has resulted in a generally increasing numbers of investigations and prosecutions for the making and possession of indecent images of children in recent years.
	In respect of Operation Ore, I understand that of approximately 6,000 suspects being investigated, to date there have been 1,202 individuals charged and 655 convictions. It is not possible to predict how many more individuals will be prosecuted in the next 12 months.

Football Hooligans

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much money has been (a) committed; and (b) spent to date by police forces, to stop football hooligans travelling to this summer's European football championships in Portugal.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information on the cost of policing football generally is not collected centrally. However, as of 2 March 2004, the Home Office had reimbursed local forces a total of £578,065 to cover the cost of targeted operations designed to gather evidence and obtain football banning orders on known football hooligans. The Minister of State for crime reduction, policing and community safety (Hazel Blears) announced last year that £5 million has been allocated to fund the targeted football banning order operations over a period of three calendar years.
	As of 2 March 2004, the courts have imposed 2,015 football banning orders preventing the subjects travelling to matches overseas, including Euro 2004. The banning orders have been prompted by evidence gathered during public order policing of football operations or as a result of the Home Office-funded targeted, operations mentioned above.

Football Hooligans

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many Section 14B banning orders have been issued to football hooligans each year since they were first introduced and what are the totals for each police force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The following number of banning orders under Section 14B of the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 have been imposed by the courts in each calendar year since the Act came into force.
	
		
			 Year Number of 14B football banning orders issued 
			 2000 37 
			 2001 56 
			 2002 55 
			 2003 12 
			 2004 (up to 3 March) 11 
		
	
	It is not possible to compile data by police force for expired banning orders. There are currently (as of 3 March 2004) 71 Section 14B banning orders in place, distributed among police forces as follows:
	
		
			 Police Force Number of current Section 14B football banning orders 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 1 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 1 
			 Essex Police 9 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 3 
			 Greater Manchester Police 13 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 2 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary 4 
			 Merseyside Police 11 
			 Metropolitan Police 9 
			 North Wales Police 1 
			 Northumbria Police 1 
			 Nottinghamshire Constabulary 1 
			 South Yorkshire Police 8 
			 Staffordshire Police 1 
			 Sussex Police 2 
			 West Midlands Police 2 
			 West Yorkshire Police 2

e-Crime Strategy

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why there has been a delay in the announcement of the national e-crime strategy.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The e-crime strategy will look to provide a framework for government, law enforcement and industry action in response to e-crime, seeking to outline current legislation, policy and practice, as well as addressing current questions and advancing and informing the debate on longer-term issues.
	Officials continue to work to bring the strategy together and it will be published soon.

Anthrax

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 20 January 2003 (WA 79), the Lord Bach on 9 October 2003 (WA 67) and 8 January 2004 (WA 54) and the Lord Warner on 8 January 2004 (WA 59), whether the Secretary of State for Health, as the licence holder, and the manufacturer of the anthrax vaccine are satisfied that the vaccine was not used for troops involved in the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, or the conflict with Iraq in 2003, outside the conditions of its marketing authorisation.

Lord Warner: Individuals using pharmaceutical products outside the specifications within the market authorisation are not obliged to inform the licence holder of such use. The Department of Health (DH) understands that the timings of anthrax immunisations planned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 1991 were different from those in the marketing authorisation and that fewer immunisations than recommended were to be given to each individual. In preparation for the conflict in Iraq in 2003, the DH understands that personnel deploying to the Gulf region were offered anthrax vaccine in accordance with MoD policy. Variations in use, from the summary of product characteristics, when these occur, are dictated by military-specific risk assessments and are based on the best available medical advice from the Advisory Group on Medical Countermeasures (AGMC). The AGMC is an independent civilian body specifically set up to advise on these matters.

Obesity

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the forthcoming review of obesity by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition will include an analysis of the contribution which the promotion of high carbohydrate foodstuffs has had on the increase of obesity; and whether it will include a review of the traditional food pyramid.

Lord Warner: The nature and timing of further work on this issue will be considered by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition at its next meeting in June 2004, taking into account the recently published report by the Royal College of Physicians.

NHS: Falls Services for the Elderly

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which primary care trusts will not provide by April 2005 a dedicated falls service for the elderly who suffer falls as outlined in the National Service Framework for Older People.

Lord Warner: The National Service Framework for Older People requires integrated falls services to be in place locally by April 2005. The Department of Health will be monitoring formally the 2005 milestone at strategic health authority level as this is included as one of the key targets in Improvement, Expansion and Reform, the priorities and planning framework for 2003–06. All strategic health authorities except one currently report that the April 2005 target will be achieved in their area. The department has offered support to the strategic health authority that may have difficulty meeting the target across the whole of its area.

NHS: Falls Services for the Elderly

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What methods will be used to audit the standard of services in the National Health Service with regard to osteoporosis and falls.

Lord Warner: The Commission for Health Improvement, the Audit Commission and Social Services Inspectorate have been responsible for developing a review of progress in National Health Service and social care organisations on implementing the standards in the National Service Framework for Older People. Those aspects of Osteoporosis that relate to falls services will be included in the review that the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care and Inspection plan to undertake from July 2004 to June 2005.

Healthcare Professionals: EU Accession States

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied that healthcare professionals in medicine, nursing and dentistry who have trained in the 10 new member states which will join the European Union on 1 May 2004 will have met the minimum training standards specified in the European Community directives.

Lord Warner: All accession states are committed to ensuring that the qualifications they award to doctors, nurses responsible for general care and dentists who begin their training on or after the date for accession meet specified minimum requirements. It is for the European Commission, which is closely monitoring their progress, to see that these obligations are met. It intends to update member states shortly.

Healthcare Professionals: EU Accession States

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether healthcare professionals in the osteopathic, chiropractic and social care professions who have trained in the 10 new member states which will join the European Union on 1 May 2004 will be eligible for registration with the relevant United Kingdom regulatory authorities.

Lord Warner: Healthcare professionals in the osteopathic and chiropractic professions will be entitled to a comparative scrutiny of their qualifications and experience against any national requirements, and, in the event of a substantial difference, may be required to demonstrate additional experience or to undertake an adaptation period or an aptitude test. The registration of social workers is currently voluntary and these rules do not yet apply.

Clinical Trials

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there are, or will be, any requirements to include people aged over 65 in clinical trials which evaluate the safety and efficacy of drugs and treatments.

Lord Warner: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, on behalf of the Licensing Authority, grants marketing authorisations for medicinal products provided that satisfactory quality, safety and efficacy data have been submitted for the medicinal product for use in the proposed indication and that the risk benefit is deemed favourable. Part of the assessment process involves ensuring that the target population to be treated once the medicine is licensed has been adequately represented (including age, gender, ethnicity) in the clincial trials submitted in support of the application. There are regulatory guidelines that specify the inclusion of the elderly in clinical trials if they are likely to be included in the population to be treated.

Ministry of Defence: Right to Roam

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What right to roam exists for members of the public on military training land at Bovington

Lord Bach: The new right of access will apply to all MoD land which has been mapped as open country or registered common land by the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales, except where the use of such land is regulated by the byelaws under Section 14 of the Military Lands Act 1982 or Section 2 of the Military Lands Act 1900. Bovington and Lulworth ranges are both subject to byelaws for reasons of public safety and security.
	Bovington has 6.1 kilometres of public rights of way and 2.6 kilometres of well marked permissive paths. The MoD has developed a network of 24 kilometres of permissive paths, including 4 kilometres designed and maintained for disabled access at Lulworth. These paths provide a link within the Dorset coast path and a route into the world heritage coast.

Support Vehicle Project

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 23 February (WA 6), what is their response to the inclusion by the National Audit Office in paragraph 142 of its major projects report, that "the delayed in-service date [of the support vehicle] will affect the deployable operational capability of the Royal Air Force".

Lord Bach: The National Audit Office major project report anticipates a possible alteration in the concept of operations for using the support vehicle. However, this is still under consideration, and no final decision has been made over its implementation.

Law Officers: Advice to Ministers

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the publication under the 30 year rule of the advice given by the Attorney-General about the compatibility of the Commonwealth Immigrants Bill 1968 with international law was in accordance with constitutional convention.

Lord Filkin: Yes. The longstanding convention, observed by successive governments, that the fact and substance of the law officers' advice is not disclosed outside government does not automatically prevent the transfer of their advice to the national archives after 30 years. The Attorney-General's advice on the Commonwealth Immigrants Bill 1968 was released at the national archives after 30 years in 1999 as part of Cabinet Office document CAB 129/135. However, the law officers' advice may remain closed, as may any other public record, if actual damage would be caused by release.

Sports Clubs

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many sports clubs are registered with the Inland Revenue for financial benefits as community amateur sports clubs; and what proportion of the total number of sports clubs this represents; and
	What steps they have taken to encourage the take-up of the tax relief available to community amateur sports clubs since the 80 per cent relief came in with the Local Government Act 2003.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: At the end of February 2004, 2,475 sports clubs had applied to the Inland Revenue for registration as community amateur sports clubs (CASCs), 702 of which had been registered. A list of registered clubs is published on the Inland Revenue website, and is updated on a monthly basis. Precise figures for the total number of sports clubs in the UK are not available, although there are over 110,000 but not all will be eligible for CASC status.
	The Inland Revenue, in partnership with the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR), Bates, Wells & Braithwaite, Deloitte & Touche and others, has held a series of regional seminars to promote the CASC scheme. The Inland Revenue continues to work closely with representative bodies to encourage awareness of the scheme among their members.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has written to local authorities informing them of forthcoming changes to the rating system resulting from the Local Government Act 2003, which include the introduction of mandatory 80 per cent rates relief for CASCs. Local authorities have been asked to reinforce to sports clubs that registered CASCs in England and Wales will receive mandatory rates relief.
	In addition, the ODPM is issuing publicity leaflets through local authorities about the changes to their business rates bills in April 2005 following the Revaluation and Local Government Act 2003. These leaflets include information on CASC eligibility and registration and are being issued to business ratepayers with their 2004–05 bills.
	Both the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Minister for Sport and Tourism have regular meetings with many of the national governing bodies for sport, and frequently discuss the promotion of the CASC initiative.
	In addition, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport also wrote to all Members of Parliament in December, encouraging them to promote the scheme to amateur sports clubs in their constituencies.

Winter Olympics

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What funding is currently available for Winter Olympic sports; and whether guarantees are in place to ensure that funding will not be cut in the run-up to the Winter Olympics in Turin 2006.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: UK Sport currently makes funding available to winter sports from the lottery and Exchequer.
	Lottery funding is currently being provided through the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) to support those winter sports with athletes with genuine medal potential. Currently UK Sport is making lottery funds available to alpine skiing, speed skating, bob skeleton and snowboarding of approximately £490,000. In addition, UK Sport is also providing total Exchequer funding of approximately £580,000 to seven winter sports to support their national governing body (NGB) broader work and associated programmes, as well as modernisation funding for broader NGB development.
	It is not appropriate to guarantee levels of lottery funding in support of world class winter sport athletes as this is reviewed annually and future funding is dependent upon performances and the athletes maintaining their position as genuine medal prospects for Turin. Lottery funding could actually increase if winter sport athletes currently not in receipt of funding improve significantly and demonstrate that they can clearly bridge the performance gap to podium in Turin.
	In addition, UK Sport will be carrying out a winter sport mid-Olympic cycle review in the summer of 2004 of those winter sports supported by their WCPP, before agreeing levels of lottery and Exchequer investment for the second half of the four-year period through from October 2004 to September 2006. Alongside this review will be a reassessment of continued Exchequer funding of all those winter sports NGB's currently supported by UK Sport.

Space for Sport and the Arts

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the budgets allocated to, the amounts awarded to and the money spent on, the Space for Sport and the Arts programme.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Space for Sports and Arts is a partnership between Exchequer funding of £79 million from the capital modernisation fund and £55 million from three lottery distributors: New Opportunities Fund (£25 million), Sport England (£25 million ) and Arts Council England (£5 million).
	Of the £134 million total fund, £128,389,332 has so far been awarded and £48,332,107 spent. Rebo

Sport: Lottery Expenditure

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the National Lottery expenditure on sport in Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council for each financial year since 1993–94.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The National Lottery expenditure on sport in Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council was:
	
		
			 Financial Year Amount (£) 
			 Sport Distributors  
			 1994–95 0 
			 1995–96 77,212 
			 1996–97 521,262 
			 1997–98 41,516 
			 1998–99 276,000 
			 1999–2000 13,140 
			 2000–01 1,189,207 
			 2001–02 137,797 
			 2002–03 1,428,334 
			 2003–04 0 
			  
			 Awards for All Grant  
			 2002–03 34,458 
			 2003–04 26,832 
			  
			 New Opportunities Fund Grants  
			 2001–02 462,500 
			 2002–03 110,000 
			 2003–04 45,000

Sport: Lottery Expenditure

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the National Lottery expenditure on sport in Colchester Borough Council for each financial year since 1993–94.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The National Lottery expenditure on sport in Colchester Borough Council was:
	
		
			 Financial Year Amount (£) 
			 Sport Distributors  
			 1994–95 0 
			 1995–96 249,404 
			 1996–97 0 
			 1997–98 96,975 
			 1998–99 276,000 
			 1999–2000 486,439 
			 2000–01 114,113 
			 2001–02 130,456 
			 2002–03 0 
			 2003–04 0 
			  
			 Awards for All Grant  
			 2002–03 23,458 
			 2003–04 8,339 
			  
			 New Opportunities Fund Grants  
			 2001–02 12,375 
			 2002–03 0 
			 2003–04 1,045,323

Coin-operated Telephone Boxes

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is still necessary to provide coin-operated telephone boxes; and how many such boxes have been broken into over the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The matter raised is the responsibility of the regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the noble Lord. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Single Farm Payment Scheme

The Duke of Montrose: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they currently have plans to publish a consultation document on the conditions for cross-compliance under the single farm payment policy; and, if so, when these will be published.

Lord Whitty: It has always been the Government's intention to hold a public consultation on cross-compliance. I expect that the consultation will be announced shortly.

Common Agricultural Policy and Digital Mapping

The Earl of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total number of staff at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs engaged on (a) the mid-term review of the common agricultural policy; (b) the administering of CAP payments to farmers; and (c) the digital mapping exercise.

Lord Whitty: The table below shows the number of staff working on the common agricultural policy (CAP) mid-term review, the administration of CAP payments to farmers and the digital mapping exercise at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA is an executive agency of Defra and is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England.
	
		
			  Defra(1) RPA(2) Total 
			 (a) mid-term review 11 19 30 
			 (b) CAP payments — 3,034 3,034 
			 (c) digital mapping — 23 23 
			 Total 11 3,076 3,087 
		
	
	(1) For core-Defra a total of 11 staff are working full-time in the team implementing CAP reform following the mid-term review, and a significant number of others are devoting varying parts of their time to this area of work.
	(2) These figures include all staff engaged in support areas but do not include staff working for the British Cattle Movement Service, or those staff on career breaks.

Common Agricultural Policy and Digital Mapping

The Earl of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many consultants and advisers are currently working for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (a) the mid-term review; (b) the administering of common agricultural policy payments to farmers; and (c) the digital mapping exercise.

Lord Whitty: The table below shows the number of consultants and advisers working on the common agricultural policy (CAP) mid-term review, the administration of CAP payments to farmers and the digital mapping exercise at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA is an executive agency of Defra and is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England.
	
		
			  Defra RPA Total 
			 (a) mid-term review 3 26(1) 29 
			 (b) CAP payments — 73 73 
			 (c) digital mapping — 1 1 
			 Total 3 100 103 
		
	
	(3) This figure consists of eight consultants supporting the RPA in the delivery of CAP reform and a further 18 consultants employed by information systems suppliers to design and build computer systems to run the new single farm payment scheme.
	In addition to the above there are currently 99 consultants employed on the RPA change programme.

Imidacloprid and Bees

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice they have given to beekeepers with regard to the handling of products containing the active ingredient imidacloprid.

Lord Whitty: No specific advice is given to beekeepers on the handling of pesticides including those containing imidacloprid, but advice is available to pesticide users via the pesticide label, the code of practice for the safe use of pesticides on farms and holdings, and the spray liaison officer from the British Beekeeping Association.
	All pesticides containing imidacloprid approved in the UK are required to state on the label that the product is harmful to bees and must not be used on crops in flower (where they are pesticides approved for agricultural use) or when bees are present (amateur uses).
	The code of practice advises pesticide users to check for bees foraging or visiting plants before using the product, to follow the pesticide instructions carefully, and to avoid spray drift into foraging areas. It also advises users to spray in the evening, on a cloudy day, or in the early morning so that use avoids those periods when bees are most active.
	Provided these products are used in accordance with their statutory conditions of approval, and in line with the code of practice, they should pose no risk to non-target species or the wider environment.

A34

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to widen parts of the A34 between Winchester and the junction with the M40 north of Oxford.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There are no plans to widen the A34 between Winchester and the M40. A study is in progress to assess major transport issues in the corridor and the work needed to establish solutions across all modes. Also a draft route management strategy for the A34 has resulted in suggestions that climbing lanes should be provided.

A34

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the range of traffic flows of lorries on the most congested section of the A34 (a) for the most congested hour; and (b) averaged over 24 hours.

Lord Davies of Oldham: On the basis of traffic data collected in 2002, the last year for which figures are readily available, the most heavily trafficked and congested section of the A34 is the section from Didcot, round Oxford, and up to the M40. The highest flow for lorries was between 1300 and 1400 hours on the link approaching M40 (junction 9) where there were 750 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in total, two-way. Over the whole section, the range of lorry flows for the most congested hour was between 600 and 750 (HGVs), two-way, representing around 13 per cent of total traffic.
	Traffic flows for HGVs over a 24-hour period are recorded in a category covering all vehicles over 5.2 metres in length, the majority being HGVs. The average figure for this category on the most congested section of the A34 given above was 520 vehicles per hour. This represent around 19 per cent of total traffic for that 24-hour period.